alcohol

Department of Health Reportedly Considering a Ban on Happy Hour (UPDATED)

Louis Peitzman · 04/29/12 12:27PM

The New York Post has a rather alarming (and alarmist) article on a potential happy hour ban in the city. They cite a lot of mysterious Department of Health sources, so it's difficult to confirm any of this — but when anyone suggests a serious threat to cheap drinking, panic is the appropriate response.

Notable Teen Uses Fake ID to Buy Alcohol

Louis Peitzman · 04/28/12 09:52AM

TMZ is breathless to tell you that The Hunger Games' Josh Hutcherson "tricks grocery store into selling him whiskey." The up-and-comer, who plays Peeta in the film and its inevitable sequels, is only 19 and has thus probably never tasted alcohol before. What could have pushed him to such vile deceit?

Oh, Shut Up About New York City's Booze 'Crackdown'

Max Read · 01/11/12 04:00PM

Guys: Mayor Bloomberg does not want to take away your booze. Yes, the Health Department is considering a proposal to "curb excessive drinking" in New York City. (For this, the Post calls him a "party pooper," Animal NY calls him a hypocrite, and Gothamist calls him Nanny Bloomberg.") Yes, he thinks you probably drink too much. (To be fair: you do.) Yes, he's a sucky mayor. But he's not really doing anything here except that will make your life harder, unless you are an asshole (or, to be fair, in the employ of the booze business). Let's be clear about what the proposals actually are, according to the Post:

Bored to Death's Creator Would Like to Buy You a Drink

Seth Abramovitch · 12/21/11 02:28AM

Saddened over the recent loss of HBO's hipster mystery (mipstery?) Bored To Death? So is Jonathan Ames, the guy who created it. But what's the point in wallowing in self-pity, if you can wallow in self-pity while drunk and surrounded by dozens of sympathetic fans? Wait, did I say dozens? How about hundreds! Thousands! No wait, dozens is probably for the best. Ames hopped on to Twitter tonight to announce that all fans of the series in the area should meet him at the Brooklyn Inn on Wednesday night for a drink on him. And he promised John Hodgman will be there! There is literally no down side here, people. Except the loss of Bored to Death, and the possibility of a fire hazard. But free drink! So... [@JonathanAmes]

Your Partner Is Making You Binge-Drink

Lauri Apple · 12/17/11 03:10PM

After studying 208 unmarried couples and their drinking habits, researchers at Canada's Dalhousie University have discovered that the binge-drinking of one partner in a relationship often transfers to the other partner. Alcohol abuse is a contagious disease.

What's the Naughtiest Thing You've Done on the High Line?

Seth Abramovitch · 12/12/11 09:19PM

A report in the NY Post says the city's Parks Department has issued 113 summonses between January and November to people they've caught drinking alcohol on the High Line, the mile-long public park installed in an abandoned, elevated freight railroad that runs along Manhattan's west side. That's by far the most tickets of any park in the five boroughs.

Watch Sandra Lee Ruin Thanksgiving Dinner with Jimmy Fallon

Matt Cherette · 11/24/11 02:02AM

Even though New York First Mistress Sandra Lee is forever partial to Halloween—if you don't know why, do yourself a favor and click here to find out—she still made time to visit tonight's Late Night and prepare a Thanksgiving meal with Jimmy Fallon. And by "Thanksgiving meal," I mean "a gross-looking Bailey's martini and some cornbread stuffing with a can of Campbell's chicken rice soup in it," among other monstrosities. Aunt Sandy, God love her.

Stephen Colbert Warns Parents of Teen 'Vodka Tamponing' Epidemic

Matt Cherette · 11/15/11 01:35AM

On tonight's Report, Stephen Colbert used the birth of an intern's child as an opportunity to highlight a recent local news report about how teens are now getting drunk by sticking vodka-soaked tampons up their vaginas/rectums. "No wonder the women in [tampon] commercials look so happy," said Colbert. "They are hammered!" A clip of the segment is above.

NYC's Top Librarian Caught Drunk Driving in Reverse

Seth Abramovitch · 11/08/11 03:52AM

Like thousands of New Yorkers, Dr. Anthony Marx, the 52-year-old president of the New York Public Library, was massively inconvenienced on Sunday by marathon road closures. No problemo! He just threw his Audi A4 (registered to the library) into reverse, floored it — and slammed it into a garbage truck on East 138th St.

Strawberries Will Protect Your Stomach from Alcohol

Max Read · 10/25/11 11:05PM

For once in its life, science has done something actually useful, and taught us all a valuable lesson: strawberries can help protect your stomach (an essential organ) from alcohol (an essential coping mechanism).

The Best Four Minutes of Sandra Lee's Ridiculous Halloween Special

Matt Cherette · 10/24/11 02:11AM

On Sunday, the Food Network aired Sandra's Halloween Wonderland, an hour-long special from Semi-Homemade Cooking host Sandra Lee. To say that the program—which featured half a dozen costume changes and nearly twice as many cocktail recipes—was a train wreck would be an understatement. But don't just take my word for it! Check out the above compilation to see the special's most absurd moments for yourself.

Billionaire Walmart Heiress Arrested for DWI

Maureen O'Connor · 10/13/11 11:28AM

Alice Walton, billionaire daughter of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, was arrested for DWI on the night of her 62nd birthday in Mineral Wells, Texas. Last time she got a DWI, Alice screamed, "I'm Alice Walton, bitch!" No such outbursts this time. That we know of. Yet.

Americans Are Too Poor to Drive Drunk

John Cook · 10/04/11 04:41PM

Good news! Drunk driving is down 30% over the last five years. Bad news! It's probably because we're all too broke to leave the house. Instead of wasting precious fuel to drive to bars and pay $4 for Bud Light, we're staying home with the lights off, drinking homemade prune wine, and sniffing kerosene. Apparently the way you'll know the economy is moving again is when you get T-Boned by a black-out drunk in a '70s Pontiac.